The Attorney General for Washington State has filed multiple criminal charges against the owners of the Spokane House Hotel after investigations showed they allegedly violated several asbestos exposure laws during a renovation project.

In a press release issued on May 11, A.G. Bob Ferguson stated that these individuals handled asbestos on the worksite improperly and thus “endangered the health of their neighbors and workers.”

“My office won’t tolerate skirting our environmental laws and endangering public safety to make a quick buck,” Ferguson said. “Asbestos-removal regulations are strict for a reason: The alleged actions of these individuals put at risk not only workers, inspectors and innocent neighbors, but also endangered our environment.”

According to this release, Dayabir B. (who owns 2013 Investors LLC), his nephew Gee G., and employee John H. have been charged with violating the Washington Clean Air Act and reckless endangerment. Gee is also accused of lying to a public servant.

Each of these charges carries a maximum penalty of 364 days in jail and/or $5,000 in fines.

2013 Investors, which owns the 89-room hotel, renovated it in 2013 and 2014. It applied for a building permit with the city of Spokane to replace, texture and paint drywall, but more extensive renovations already were underway, A.G. Ferguson said.

An investigator from the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency drove past the site in 2013 and noticed the extensive renovation, with piles of debris that probably contained asbestos in the open air.

In 2014, investigators saw another debris pile, with visible asbestos, which A.G. Ferguson said sat in the open air for several months when very high wind speeds were documented.

Thus, it is highly possible that small asbestos particles were blown away from the worksite where they could pose significant danger to neighbors, passers-by, and other innocent people.

Asbestos Exposure Can Be Dangerous

Asbestos is a natural mineral widely used in building construction materials and products. Left undisturbed and in good condition, asbestos materials and products can be harmless.

Problems arise when asbestos deteriorates, falls apart, or is disturbed during demolition or renovation work. When this happens, microscopic fibers become airborne, are easily inhaled, and settle deep into the lungs.

When asbestos fibers are inhaled, most fibers are expelled, but some can become lodged in the lungs and remain there throughout life.

Fibers can accumulate and cause scarring and inflammation and lead to serious asbestos disease including asbestos lung cancer and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is occurs in the thin lining of the lung, chest and abdomen.

Asbestos exposure can also cause asbestosis, a serious progressive, long-term, non-cancerous fibrotic disease of the lungs.

Various factors determine how asbestos exposure affects an individual’s risk of developing an asbestos-related illness or disease, including:

• Exposure concentration – what was the concentration of asbestos fibers?
• Exposure duration – how long did the asbestos exposure last?
• Exposure frequency – how often during that time period was the person exposed?
• Size, shape and chemical makeup of the asbestos fibers
• Individual risk factors, such as a person’s history of smoking, occupational history, other pre-existing lung diseases, etc.

Filing an Asbestos Lawsuit

To protect public health from asbestos exposure, activities such as demolition and renovation of buildings, homes and other structures must be done in accordance with asbestos regulations.

In cases where people are aware of or suspect the source of asbestos exposure which led to their diagnosis with mesothelioma, asbestos lung cancer, or another asbestos disease, it is possible for these victims to file asbestos exposure lawsuits in demand of compensation for their medical expenses and other losses.

To learn more about filing an asbestos lawsuit, contact an experienced asbestos litigation attorney for a free, no-obligation consultation.